The below is attributable to Spokesperson Jessica Jennings:
Today, Administrator Samantha Power met with International Rescue Committee (IRC) President and CEO David Miliband to discuss global malnutrition, the current humanitarian crisis in Northern Ethiopia, sanctions reform, the staggering food crisis in the Horn of Africa, and the need for greater alignment between humanitarian and climate adaptation work.
Administrator Power highlighted USAID’s unprecedented $200 million to the United Nations Children's Fund to scale-up the procurement and delivery of lifesaving treatment for severe malnutrition, including Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food. Administrator Power and Mr. Miliband discussed opportunities for USAID and IRC to work together to increase coverage and drive innovation in the delivery of wasting treatment.
Administrator Power and Assistant to the Administrator Sarah Charles expressed condolences for the IRC staff member tragically killed in Northern Ethiopia, and emphasized the risks humanitarian workers are facing to provide lifesaving assistance in Ethiopia and around the world. The Administrator also shared updates on USAID’s response to the unprecedented drought in the Horn of Africa and her concern about the spiraling trajectory of the crisis given the projected Famine in parts of Somalia this year if humanitarian assistance does not rapidly increase.